Shoes, particularly sneakers or athletic shoes, often become soiled, odorous and in general need of a thorough washing after some amount of use. One problem associated with washing shoes in a conventional automatic washing machine is that the shoes often becoming scuffed, scraped and/or generally worn down due to mechanical abrasion caused by contact with the washing machine agitator, the walls of the washing machine, other objects in the wash load, as well as contact between the shoes being washed. Sneakers also may experience undesirable fiber pilling and other fiber damage resulting, to some extent, from abrasion during the wash cycle. Additionally, shoes often become deformed during and after the washing process, losing their desired shape properties. As a result of shape deformation during the washing process, creases and cracks develop in the shoe and other general wear and tear results.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,785,924 discloses a method of orienting shoes in a washing machine and devices for aligning shoes in a washing machine that includes a containment bag having one or more separate “pockets” for holding up to four shoes to be washed. However, the “pockets” are permanently defined compartments that are formed, for example, by stitching. Thus, if the size of the shoe does not match the size of the pocket, the shoes will not be snuggly fit within the pocket. Moreover, each pocket only holds one shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,739 discloses a washing bag for curtains and drapes that has a net fabric and is formed at its mouth with two spaced-apart ties adapted to define two compartments, a large compartment for containing the curtains or drapes, and a small compartment in which the suspension hooks, rings or other attachment of the curtains or drapes can be confined. However, the patented bag is not designed to be used for washing footwear, and if it were to be so used, the shoes would scuff and scrape one another.
Thus, there remains a need in the field for a laundry bag for washing shoes that can securely hold shoes, for washing, while preventing damage due to abrasion. There is a further need in the field for such a laundry bag that can accommodate both adult sized shoes and children sized shoes. Moreover, there remains a need in the field for a kit that includes such a laundry bag and at least one pair of waterproof shoe trees so that the shoe shape may be preserved during and after a washing process and damage due to shape deformation may be prevented.